Ibrahim

My name is Ibrahim, and I live in the northern part of Sierra Leone called Makeni. I live with my mother, sisters and brothers, I lost my father when I was young. My mother took care of us to the best of her abilities even when life was not easy, my mother tried but she could not afford our needs. My sisters and brothers dropped out of school because of school fees. I am the only lucky one to continue because I want to eradicate poverty in my family. I did all kinds of business, working for people just to make my dream bright.

I was raised as a Muslim but heard about Jesus through a neighbor. During my final secondary school examination, I learned about Young Life from a friend, who told me the vision and mission of Young Life. At camp, I heard the message of Jesus in a fresh way and committed my life to following Him. Later, I was asked to join the organization as a volunteer, but I found it very difficult to commit initially because I spent all my time earning a wage to support myself and my family. However, I decided to become a Young Life volunteer leader and I can proudly say, I am a great Young Lifer. The encouragement the team gave me was worth far more than any money could buy.

As a Developing Global Leader, I am studying development studies at the University of Makeni. I hope to one day stand to help those that are struggling to achieve security and help develop my country economically. With this opportunity, I will be the first to graduate from university in my family and will show friends around me that there is hope in life.